A NEW FLIGHT PATH FAT FREDDY’S DROP ARE ABOUT TO TAKE LEAVE FROM RECORDING THEIR NEW ALBUM TO PREVIEW IT AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE. KEYBOARDIST DOBIE BLAZE GIVES CHRIS FAMILTON AN INSIGHT ON THE TOURING LIFESTYLE AND THE BAND’S CREATIVE PROCESS. New albums aren’t a common occurrence in the world of Fat Freddy’s Drop. To date there has only been 2005’s debut Based On … Continue reading INTERVIEW: Fat Freddy’s Drop
The first new song in 20 years from John Lydon’s resurrected PiL has surfaced and it bodes well for the new album This is PiL due in the middle of 2012. Stream it below… Continue reading LISTEN: To the new Public Image Limited track One Drop…
Hallelujah Picassos were one of the most original, visceral and genre mashing bands to come out of Auckland, New Zealand in the early 90s. They combined reggae, lovers rock, punk, dub, hip hop and garage rock with the end result being an overwhelming live experience. Frontman Roland Rorschach, bassist Johnnie Pain, guitarist Peter McLennan and drummer/singer Bobbylon were something of a musical history lesson for young kids growing up … Continue reading NEWS: Hallelujah Picassos release compilation…
The Checks have taken a turn into dub reggae grooves on this, their new single. Apparently it is all about… Candyman Shimmer is really all about you and your stinking mate in a clapped out 1.3 litre Fiat Uno chain smoking cigarettes hooning past two slick fellas in expensive suits cruising the motorway in a silver Porche. You pull your blue jumper over your eyes as … Continue reading LISTEN: to the new The Checks song – Candyman Shimmer
written by Chris Familton Rewards come to those who do the hard work and Katchafire have certainly been doing that for the last decade with relentless touring and four albums of exceptional roots reggae music. For a band that probably gets next to no radio airplay in Australia, attracting a large crowd to the Enmore Theatre showed just how large an audience they have gathered … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Katchafire @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney (24/06/11)
written by Chris Familton Ska’d For Life was the name given to the second night of Bad Manners’ Sydney gigs at the Annandale. This one was billed as a whole afternoon/night of ska music celebrating the original form of reggae and all its various mutations with mods, punks and 2 Tone fans gathering to celebrate ska and one of its longest serving bands Bad Manners. … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Bad Manners @ Annandale Hotel, Sydney (18/06/11)
written by Chris Familton This was dubbed the Hurricane Tour which was kind of strange considering the album of the same name was released 3 years ago. Coming 19 years after Grace Jones’ previous release of original material it isn’t surprising that she still considers it to her ‘new’ album (as she often reminded us), such was the length of time between drinks. This was … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Grace Jones @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney (19/04/11)
Number 8 and another mixed bag of aural delights from garage rock to blissed out digi-dub, warm americana to stoner rock. Enjoy and share. You can stream the mix below or click on the right of the player to download… Continue reading MIXTAPE: Mixed Feelings 08
The BBC have been doing a brilliant job over recent years with their Britannia series focusing on a different genre of music that has impacted culturally on Britain. Reggae Britannia is essential viewing for anyone into the ska, reggae and dub sounds of Jamaica, the Two Tone scene of 70s/80s UK and the ragga and lovers rock trends that followed. The same BBC Four series … Continue reading VIDEO: Reggae Britannia
DOWNLOAD Here it is, the long overdue volume 7 in the Mixed Feelings mixtape series. This one swings from the dirty garage rock of Two Tears to a dub excursion by Prince Jammy, over to a recent soundtrack piece by The The and the latest single from The Strokes. Plenty more in between so check it out… Continue reading MIXTAPE: Mixed Feelings 07
written by Chris Familton Dub and electronica have been big exports for New Zealand in the past 15 years, mainly through the efforts of Fat Freddy’s Drop, Salmonella Dub, and Black Seeds to name just a few. Sola Rosa have been operating for a decade now and with 6 albums under his belt a trip to play live in Sydney was well overdue. Local Bondi … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Sola Rosa @ Gaelic, Sydney 03/12/10
written by Chris Familton Afrobeat has undergone somewhat of a renaissance in circles outside the normal purveyors of world music. In particular there have been some stellar compilations on the Soundways label that have exposed many unsung heroes of afrobeat and its various versions of psychedelic, disco, rock and funk. The figurehead of the genre was Nigeria’s Fela Kuti who reigned supreme in the 70s, … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW: Femi Kuti @ Metro, Sydney 20/11/10
Doubtful Sounds 